Translations:Effects of climate change on livestock/22/en

Pathogens and parasites

See also: Climate change and infectious diseases

While climate-induced heat stress can directly reduce domestic animals' immunity against all diseases, climatic factors also impact the distribution of many livestock pathogens themselves. For instance, Rift Valley fever outbreaks in East Africa are known to be more intense during the times of drought or when there is an El Nino. Another example is that of helminths in Europe which have now spread further towards the poles, with higher survival rate and higher reproductive capacity (fecundity). Detailed long-term records of both livestock diseases and various agricultural interventions in Europe mean that demonstrating the role of climate change in the increased helminth burden in livestock is actually easier than attributing the impact of climate change on diseases which affect humans.

A sheep infected with bluetongue virus

Temperature increases are also likely to benefit Culicoides imicola, a species of midge which spreads bluetongue virus. Ixodes ricinus, a tick which spreads pathogens like Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis, is predicted to become 5–7% more prevalent on livestock farms in Great Britain, depending on the extent of future climate change.